Vijay Mallya says Force India has yet to show its true potential after two disappointing races at the start of the season.
The first race of the season in Australia saw the red flag interruption badly hurt Force India's planned one-stop strategy, with Nico Hulkenberg recovering to finish in seventh place while Sergio Perez failed to score. In Bahrain both cars suffered front wing damage to relegate them to the back of the midfield and team principal Mallya is waiting to see what the team is truly capable of.
“It feels as though we’ve yet to unleash our true potential this season," Mallya said. "Both the races so far have been heavily compromised, either by our own mistakes or outside circumstances, so I’d like to see what we can achieve with a clean, trouble-free race to the flag.
"When things go to plan, we know we can compete well inside the top ten and I expect everyone in the team to be pushing hard to reverse our recent fortunes.”
While a tight midfield makes it harder for Force India to recover from the sort of problems it suffered in Bahrain, Mallya welcomes the increased competition.
“The battle in the middle of the pack is too close to call this season and it means that there’s even more pressure on teams and drivers to deliver, especially in qualifying. It’s going to be very exciting for the fans and that is what we want to see in Formula One.”
Sergio Perez exclusive interview: Time to be a driving force
Eric Silbermann ponders the outcome of the qualifying format row
TECHNICAL ANALYSIS - Bahrain Grand Prix
Keep up to date with all the F1 news via Facebook and Twitter
McLaren team principal Andrea Stella has insisted that the squad has no regrets about their…
On this day in 1989, Williams' Thierry Boutsen secured his second F1 win when he…
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner hailed Max Verstappen’s sensational Sao Paulo Grand Prix victory…
Carlos Sainz was left scratching his head after a disastrous Sunday at the Sao Paulo…
Fernando Alonso braved both physical agony and mechanical challenges in the Sao Paulo Grand Prix,…
Alpine’s remarkable double podium at the São Paulo Grand Prix with Esteban Ocon and Pierre…